Mel Bridgman
15 Interesting Facts
Mel Bridgman was a gritty first-overall draft pick who played 14 NHL seasons and later served as the inaugural general manager of the Ottawa Senators.
He was selected first overall by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 1975 NHL Amateur Draft.
He served as the first general manager of the expansion Ottawa Senators franchise in the 1992–93 season.
He scored 252 goals and 449 assists for a total of 701 points in 977 regular season NHL games.
He served as team captain for both the Philadelphia Flyers and the New Jersey Devils during his playing career.
He appeared in two Stanley Cup Finals with the Philadelphia Flyers in 1976 and 1980.
He recorded a career-high 33 goals, 54 assists, and 87 points during the 1981–82 NHL season split between Philadelphia and Calgary.
He accumulated 1,625 regular-season penalty minutes over his 14-year NHL career.
After retiring from hockey, he earned a Master of Business Administration degree from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in 1991.
He represented Canada internationally at the 1975 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, recording 5 points in 5 games.
Before entering the NHL, he won the Bob Brownridge Memorial Trophy as the WCHL leading scorer in 1975.
He was selected fourth overall by the Denver Spurs in the 1975 World Hockey Association (WHA) draft.
During the 1992 NHL Expansion Draft, his front office team made three illegal selections after forgetting to bring power supplies or batteries for their computer.
He scored 66 goals and 157 points in 66 games for the Victoria Cougars during the 1974–75 WCHL season.
He was born in Trenton, Ontario, spent his early years in Thunder Bay, and moved to Victoria, British Columbia as a teenager due to his father's work as a meteorologist.
Following his executive tenure with Ottawa, he transitioned out of hockey management to work in financial management for Smith Barney in California.
About Mel Bridgman
Melvin John Bridgman was a Canadian professional ice hockey centre who played 14 seasons in the NHL for five teams from 1975 to 1989. Selected first overall in the 1975 NHL Amateur Draft by the Philadelphia Flyers, he served as team captain for both the Flyers and the New Jersey Devils while scoring 701 points in 977 career games. After retiring, he earned an MBA from the Wharton School and became the inaugural general manager of the Ottawa Senators.
Career Achievements & Milestones
1st Overall NHL Draft Pick
1975
Bob Brownridge Memorial Trophy
1975
WCHL First All-Star Team
1975
Stanley Cup Finalist
1976
Player Information & Stats
Detailed career statistics and background information about Mel Bridgman.
Player Info
Physical Stats
Career Stats
Season Scoring
Teams & Career
Mel Bridgman played for 5 different teams during his 14 seasons career. He was originally drafted 1st overall by the Philadelphia Flyers in 1975.